Automatic welting patch and liner assembler and sewing device therefor

ABSTRACT

A machine has been disclosed which produces from a facing patch blank and a stiffener blank for it a facing patch used for a welt defining the outlines of a pocket. The machine performs the feeding of each individual patch, a patch inverting, the patch mating as well as sews the facing patch and its stiffener together, severs one sewn patch from the other, marks two successive, correctly related patches with the same number and stacks the patches with the same number into two different receptacles. The machine is automatically operated and sequentially interlocked; a circuit with an operating mode and an alarm mode is provided for the machine. As a result, numerous manual steps have been eliminated, better workpieces obtained, as well as sequentially more correct lots of the facing patches obtained.

United States Patent l l3,6ll,96l

[72] Inventors Enrique Lopez;

Robert D. Spidle; Aubrey Glenn Beazley, all of El Paso, Tex. [21] Appl. No. 44,710 [22] Filed June 9, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee Farah Manufacturing Company, Inc.

El Paso, Tex.

I54] AUTOMATIC WELTING PATCH AND LINER ASSEMBLER AND SEWING DEVICE THEREFOR 17 Claims, 32 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. (.1 ..1l2/12l.11, 112/203,112/65,270/58,10l/287,1l2/121.29 I51] lnt.Cl D05b 33/00 [50] Field oISearch l l2/121.29,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,254,351 9/1941 Campbell 12/146 C '4 176.848 3/1964 Gastonguay 112/10 Primary Examiner-James R. Boler Attorney-Curtis, Morris & Safford ABSTRACT: A machine has been disclosed which produces from a facing patch blank and a stiffener blank for it a facing patch used for a welt defining the outlines of a pocket. The machine performs the feeding of each individual patch. a patch inverting, the patch mating as well as sews the facing patch and its stiffener together, severs one sewn patch from the other, marks two successive, correctly related patches with the same number and stacks the patches with the same number into two different receptacles. The machine is automatically operated and sequentially interlocked; a circuit with an operating mode and an alarm mode is provided for the machine. As a result, numerous manual steps have been eliminated, better workpieces obtained, as well as sequentially 1 more correct lots ofthe facing patches obtained.

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ATTORNEYS 

1. A machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components each of which component is comprised of a plurality of parts comprising: means for individually feeding into the machine a first part of said garment component said means for feeding including means for monitoring the proper operation of said means for individually feeding said first part; means for individually feeding into the machine a second part of said garment component said means including means for monitoring the proper operation of said means for individually feeding said second part; means for turning over an alternative number of said second part of said garment component, operatively interconnected with said means for feeding said second part including means for activating a signal indicating a malfunction and means for arresting said machine in an interlocked sequence; means for placing said first part of said garment component in a receiving position including means for indicating an operative condition for receiving a garment part from said means for individually feeding a second part; means for mating said first and second parts of said garment component including means indicating an operative condition for mating said garment components; means for feeding said mated parts of said garment component for sEwing of same, including means for returning said means for placing said first part of said garment component in a receiving position; means for sewing together said first and second parts of the garment component including means for initiating and terminating by said garment component said means for sewing; means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing, operatively interconnected with said means for sewing whereby said sewing is in a interrelated cycle with said means for severing; means for marking of each of said garment components in said series; means for stacking said marked garment components in response to a marked sequence, including means for signaling a stacking sequence operatively interconnected with said means for marking in sequential order; and, means for automatic operation of said machine including alarm means operatively interconnected therewith.
 2. A machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components each of which component is comprised of a plurality of parts comprising: means for individually feeding into the machine a first part of said garment component said means for feeding including means for monitoring the proper operation of said means for individually feeding said first part; means for individually feeding into the machine a second part of said garment component said means including means for monitoring the proper operation of said means for individually feeding said second part; means for turning over an alternative number of said second part of said garment component, operatively interconnected with said means for feeding said second part; means for placing said first part of said garment component in a receiving position including means for indicating an operative condition for receiving a garment component from said means for individually feeding a second part; means for mating said first and second part of said garment component; means for feeding said mated parts of said garment component for sewing of same, including means for returning said means for placing said first part of said garment component in a receiving position; means for sewing together said first and second parts of the garment component; means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing; means for marking of each of said garment components in said series; means for stacking said marked garment components in response to a marked sequence, including means for signaling a stacking sequence operatively interconnected with said means for marking; and, means for automatic operation of said machine including alarm means operatively interconnected therewith for interlocking the machine whereby said series is maintained.
 2. means for detecting a passage of a trailing edge of said mated first and second part of the garment component being sewn, said means for detecting the passage initiating; a. means for stopping the sewing machine, and b. means for keeping the presser foot in a '''' down'''' position; and,
 3. means for determining a failure in an upper and lower thread of said sewing machine including means operatively interconnected therewith for stopping said sewing machine upon failure of either of the threads.
 3. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for feeding the first and second part of said garment component comprises: a vertically reciprocating first and second receptacle means holding said first and second part of said garment component, respectively; a first pneumatic means for urging individually said first and second receptacle means upwardly; a second pneumatic means for urging said first and second receptacle means upwardly, said second pneumatic means being operatively interconnected to said first pneumatic means and operatively superseding said first pneumatic means after an initial engagement period of said first pneumatic means with said receptacle; means for rotatingly twisting said first and second parts of said garment component onto a conveyor feed means including means for arresting said means for rotatingly twisting, said means for rotatingly twisting being further operatively interconnected with means for deactivating said second pneumatic means, said means for arresting the means for rotatingly twisting being operatively interconnected with means for sensing a sIngle or a plurality of said first or second parts of said garment component; and, means for assisting a removing of said first and second part for feeding the same onto the conveyor feed means.
 4. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 3 and wherein the means for arresting the means for rotatingly twisting said first and second part, respectively, is operatively interconnected with means for determining a malfunctioning delay and means for signaling said delay.
 5. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 4 and wherein the means for sensing a single or a plurality of said first or second parts, respectively, of said garment component is operatively interconnected with means for signaling a malfunctioning event and means for interlockingly arresting an order of like garment components in said machine.
 6. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for individually feeding into the machine a first part of said garment component comprises: means for holding a supply of continuous material for making individual pieces of said first part of said garment component; means for pressing said continuous material; means for forming longitudinal slits at an end of each two adjacent pieces of first part of said garment component; means for feeding an appropriate length of said continuous material; means for severing an individual piece of said first part from said continuous material, including means for holding said continuous material during the severing operation; and, means for reactivating said feeding means, said means for reactivating being operatively interconnected with the means for holding said continuous material.
 7. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for automatic operation includes means for time-delay monitoring of operative events operatively interconnected with said alarm means whereby said alarm means activate means for interlocking the machine to maintain said parts of garment components and said garment components in a serial order and signal a malfunction to an operator.
 8. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for signaling an alarm condition is operatively interconnected with means for signaling a lack of material in said means for feeding said first part; means for signaling a failure of thread in said means for sewing; means for signaling a malfunction in a temperature control means in said means for feeding said first part of said garment component; means for sensing the presence of more than one ply in said means for feeding said second part of the garment component; and, means for signaling the failure to mark sequentially the series of said garment components by said means for marking said components.
 9. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for turning over said second part of said garment component comprise: means for capturing one end of said second part of the garment component; means for sweeping underneath said means for capturing one end of said second part the other end of said second part; means for releasing said captured end; means for operatively timing said capturing with said releasing including means for returning in a ready-to-capture position said means for capturing; and, means for alternative activation of said capturing means.
 10. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for mating said first and second part of said garment component comprises means for urging sidewise said second part of said garment component operatively interconnecTed with means for gradual elevation of said second part and positioning said second part on top of said first part; and, means for returning to a ready position said means for urging sidewise said second part, said means for urging sidewise being operatively interconnected with means indicating an operative condition of said garment components by a conjoint presence of said first part and second part of said garment components in a ready-to-mate position.
 11. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for feeding said mated parts of said garment component for sewing of same comprise means for removing a barrier restraining said mater parts; means for aiding said mated parts for feeding to a sewing machine; and, means for guiding said mated parts into a sewing machine and wherein the means for returning said means for placing said first part of said garment component in a receiving position is a means for reinserting said barrier and means for reactivating means for detecting the presence of said first part of said garment component in said receiving position.
 12. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for sewing together said first and second parts of the garment component including the means for initiating and terminating by said garment component a sewing operation comprise: a sewing machine in combination with
 13. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing, operatively interconnected with said means for sewing comprises: means for detecting the trailing edge of said sewn garment component to be severed; means for forcing downwardly a knife to cut a chain of threads joining said sewn garment component to the next garment component; means to assist the removal of said severed garment component for forwarding onto the means for marking the same, said means for severing and said means for sewing being operatively interconnected with means for detecting the operative condition of said means for terminating by said garment component of said sewing operation, and said means for detecting the trailing edge of said sewn garment component to be severed.
 14. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing comprises: scissor means; a means for forcing a chain of threads into said scissor means; a means for initiating said means for forcing said chain of threads into said scissor means being operatively interconnected with means for initiating by said garment component said sewing operation.
 15. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for marking of each of said garment components in said series comprise: means for transfer marking said garment components; means for positioning said means for transfer marking in respect to an indicia to be imparted to said garment component in said series; means for positioning said garment above said means for transfer marking; means for transferring said indicia on said garment component; means for removing said garment component from said means for transfer marking; means for retaining said means for transfer marking said garment in said position for serial marking of a next garment component, said means for retaining being operatively interconnected with means for positioning said means for transfer marking whereby the proper sequential order of marking said garment component is obtained; and, means for resetting said means for transfer marking after a completion of said series.
 16. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 15 and wherein the means for marking of each of said garment components in said series comprises: a. means for transfer marking said garment component comprising; a tape for transfer marking said garment components; a supply reel and a takeup reel, each of said reels interconnected to low-togue drive means whereby said reels are driven in opposite direction; intermittent drive means for said tape for driving said tape and for aiding the takeup of said tape; and, a marking plate underneath said tape carrying a series of ordered indicia; b. means for positioning said means for transfer marking in respect to an ordered indicia comprising: means for initiating the intermittent drive means whereby the same advance the tape; means for advancing said marking plate by an in-line-ratchet cooperating with ratchet teeth on said marking plate; c. conveyor means narrowed by a wedge for positioning said garment component above said marker plate; d. a driven hammer for transferring said indicia on said garment component; e. a puller wheel for removing said garment component from said marking plate; f. electrical control means for retaining said marker plate in said position for successive marking of two garment components with the same indicia; and g. a switch means activating an electrical control circuit for resetting said marking plate at an end of a series.
 17. The machine for automatically producing a series of garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for stacking said marked garment components comprise: a first photocell circuit means for determining an arrival of a first marked garment component in a first, ready-for-stacking position; means for interposing a barrier for stopping a next garment component in a next, ready-for-stacking position, said means for interposing being operatively interconnected to said first photocell circuit means; a next photocell circuit means for determining an arrival of a next, marked garment component in the next, ready-for-stacking position: means for stacking said first and next garment component, said means being operatively interconnected with the next photocell circuit means: said next photocell circuit means being operatively interconnected with the means for marking whereby the means for marking is advanced for marking a next group of garment components. 